Cigar piercer



March 31, 1942. s. cLAusEN 2,277,690

` CIGAR MERCER Filed Marcn 23, 1935 2 sheets-sheet i INVENTOR ORNE-v Ww N KNNV@ March 3l, 1942; s. cLAusEN CIGAR PIERCER IfildMarch 25, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1942 CIGAR vPIERCER Sigurd Clausen, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 23, 1935, Serial No. 12,720

22 Claims.

This invention relates to cigar piercers,vits

, therefore contemplates the transferring and supporting of the cigars as they are delivered from a cigar machine and thereupon moving automatically a piercing element into the head of the supported cigar. It is also an object of the invention to provide for the more secureA and accurate locating of the head end of the cigar' prior to piercing by first bringing a locating thimble fitting the end of the cigar into contact therewith and then bringing a piercer into central piercing relation to the located cigar end, thus insuring accurate central locating of the pierced opening. This is desirable for the reason that if the piercer is first advanced into the cigar and the locating element is simultaneously or subsequently advanced to the cigar end, if the piercing point preceding the locating element engages the cigar off center, the locating element will merely crush the cigar head sidewise into central relation, producing a broken head or a torn opening.

The invention also contemplates the combining of the piercing with the knurling operation,

the knurler, piercer and cigar being so moved automatically as to produce the desired positioning and locating of the cigar and piercing thereof, without handling of the cigar by an operator.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for automatically feeding cigars from a supply to a cigar transfer which carries them to a piercing position and which may further carry them to a delivering position.

It is an important object of the invention to insure that the hole stays open after piercing, by heating the piercing point so as to dry out the filler around the point. Where hand knurling is employed after the piercing operation the hand knurler has a tendency to squeeze the hole closed again and it is an object of the invention to remedy this by combining with the previous piercing operation, a knurling operation in which a point or plug enters the cigar to maintain the pierced opening against the knurling pressure.

In some instances, it is desirable to separate thel knurling and piercing operations for the reason among others `that the piercing tends to slightly enlarge the head so that it does not t the knurler. The invention therefore contemplates the provision of mechanism for separately performing these two operations, as well as providing for transferring the cigar from one to the other.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation partly in section, of the improved cigar piercer;

Fig. 2 is a View in end elevation on line 2 2, partly in section of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a` view in cross section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is a detail view partly in section showing the piercing point;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the transfer for taking the cigar from the trimming station to the piercing station;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View in side elevation of a piercing device incorporated with a knurler;

Fig. 6 is a View in end elevation on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, showing the operating means of the piercing pin; v v

Fig. 7 is a diagram in side elevation partlyk in section showing the arrangement of a piercing device in connection with a cigar enveloping machine;

Fig. 8 is a plan and y Fig. 9 is a cross section showing the arrangement of a knurler used for hand nishing pierced cigars. p i

The apparatus illustrative of one way in which the invention may be carried into effect may as shown in Figs. 1 to 9, comprise the combination with a cigar support, of a locating thimble arranged to flt one end of the cigar, a piercer arranged centrally of said thimble and means for first moving the thimble and cigar relative to one another to locate th-e cigar end and then moving the piercer Arelative to the end of the located cigar to pierce the same. Preferably a heater is arranged to heat the piercer to retain the hole caused by piercing, after the withdrawal of the piercer. Preferably the support comprises a transfer having a to and fro motion and View from line 8--8 of 7;

including cigar gripping elements arranged to receive cigars from the delivery of the cigar machine and transfer them into the range of action of said piercer. In the best constructions this transfer takes the cigars from the automatic knurling position of the cigar machine and carries them to piercing position. In one form of the invention, means are provided for delivering cigars one by one from a supply of cigars to the piercing position and in a form contemplated, after the piercing operation, these cigars are delivered to a cigar enveloping machine which may enwrap the cigars including the pierced ends in moisture resistant material. may be varied widely in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not toV be restricted to the precise details shown and described norA to the particular embodiments chosen as illustrative of the invention.

Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the frame III-of the cigar machine supports a shaft I I- which carries the finishing knurler I2, an automatically operated part of the cigar machine. The shaft II is rotated by a pulley I3 splined thereon and reciprocated axially by a lever- I4 connected by a rod I5 to a lever not shown actuated by a cam not shown of the cigar machine. Bymeans of a Y belt a pulley I9 splined on shaft II transmits the motion of shaft II to a pulley I1 splined on a shaft Ilsupported in a pedestal I9 and slidable in a sleeve 29 held by a pedestal 2|. The shaft I8 carries the piercing pin 22 and is reciprocated axially by a lever 23 connected by a rod 24 to a cam lever 25 having a roller 25'held in engagement with a cam piece/21 by a spring 28.

A pin 29 carried by a block 39 slidable in a longitudinal slot of lever 23 engages a slot 3Ia in a slide 3i supported by a guide 32- mounted on frame Ill. To the slide 3i is fastened a rod 33 Which is guided by a bushingin pedestal 2|` and carries the header block 34; A spring 35 anchored to pedestal 2| and hooked to a` post-36 in slide 3| tendsto hold block 34 in its forward position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, in which locating device 34 engages and locates the cigar.

The pin 22` slides in a block 31- heated by an electric heating cartridge 39, the block 31' having a heat insulating covering 39 and-being supported adjacent to pedestal 2I by a clamp bracket 40.

The cigar C is held in clamps or gripper iingers 4I, 42 of a transfer arm 43, Fig. 4, which takes the same from the knurling position C into which it is discharged by the softener-44 of the cigar machine. The transfer arm 43 is mounted on a shaft 45 on which it is held frictionally byl means ofV a coil spring-49 inserted between its hub and a fastening nut 41. The shaft 45 is supported by pedestals 49 on frame I0 andA carries loosely a crank lever 49 connected vby a rod 50 to a lever 5I on fulcrum shaft 52 of the cigar machine. The lever 5I is actuated by an arm 53 having a roller 54l in engagement with a cam piece 55 attached to one of the cams of the cigar machine.

4I, upon the arrival of arm 43 in receiving position. The cam then raises lever 49, permitting a spring 51 to close clamps 42 upon the cigar and thereupon pushing a set or stop screw 49a carried by lever 49 against a lug of arm 43, thereby turning the same and carrying the cigar into the dotted line piercing position C.

The cam 21 then advances 'the pin-22, allowing spring 35 to also advance block 34. The latter stops upon engaging with the head of the cigar C and pressing its tuck end against a stop 58 atl Y tached to frame I9, but, by virtue of the slot in This apparatus While the cigar at position C in the softener slide 3 I, the pin 22 moves on and enters the cigar. Cam 21 then withdraws pin 22 While block 34 remains in position until pin 29 of levez` 23 has reachedfthe end of slot 3io when both pin 22 and block 34 recede together until they have reached the dotted positions shown in Fig. l. The clamps 42 are then opened by the action of cam 55 to discharge the pierced cigar, and the transfer 43, byfthe action of a spring 59 attached to arm 53,-' returns to its receiving position against a stop 69 heldby frame I9.

In the modified form shown in Figs; 5 andA 6, the knurler and piercer are embodied in one unit; The finishing knurler I2 is attachedl to a sleeve 6I sliding in the sleeve hub 62 of pulley I3 which is supported by frame I9. In bushings 831within the sleeve 6I is mountedl the piercing pin 22 which-thus is concentric with knurler I2. A collar 64v on sleeve 92 retains-the pulley I3 in place, and apin S5, fast in sleeve 6I and'engaging with along keyway in pin 22, transmits the rotating motion ofpulley I3 to the pin` 22 has a keyl 6'9- engaging with a` longkeyway` in slee-ve 93, so that the-sleeve 6-I and pin 22 can bothmove axially, independent ofone another. A cam operated lever 91, by means of a shifter collar 68g reciprocates the p in- 2-2; and a cam operated 1ever-6-9-by'means ofl a'collar- 1-0 reciprocates the sleeve 63', thel pin 2'2- andl knurler I2 performing the same motions as pin 22and-header block 34 in Fig; 1, as thev levers^6-1 and 69 are moved to and from-their rest positions 6.1' and 59' by their respective cams.

In anotherfor-m, Figs: '1 and 8; illustrative of the invention, the improved piercing apparatus is provided with aturret cigar carrier and' is also Vshown applied'toa cigar enveloping machine; A suppl-y ofy cigarstakeny from a forming4 box are advanced'by the pusher fingers 1IA of an endless conveyor 12 to a transfer arm-'13 operating in conjunction with a pusher 14, such as shown in U. S. Patent #12,964,411 to R.,J. Beutel.,

This transfer inserts one cigar'` at a time into oneof the holdingy pockets of an intermittently revolvingv turret 15, thel jaws, 19 of; which. are actuated by a stationary-cam 11 and springs 18; In the entering position CI, the cigar is turned at right angles to its original position Concenveyor 12. In; position C2, at. the next stopof turret 15, the cigar engages, with the header block 34' and the piercing'- pin v22I as shown in Fig. 8, the arrangementofthe piercing apparatus being lthe same asin Figs., l, Zand 3; In position C3, after turning thrcug'hlSO degrees from the entering position CI, the piercedr cigar isdischarged by ejecting plunger 15a; into a transfer 191 whichafter another 90` degree turn-into position C4, delivers the cigar to a second transfer arm. and pusher combination 89, 8|, which in turn inserts the cigar into the receiving pocket 82-ofv a cellophaning machine 33-such as described inthe patent specication above referred to. The cigar ejecting plungers 15a may take theform of The sleeve 62 the plungers rshown in the Beutel patent above referred 'to in which they constitute the bottom walls of the turret pockets, and are normally urged into ejecting positions by springsI (not shown) when jaws 16 are opened to unclamp cigars held in the pockets for ejection therefrom. When arrived in this position C5, the cigar has been turned on its axis one complete revolution since entering the piercer turret 14 and thus is in the same position as at CI.

As it enters the turret 83, the cigar C is enveloped on three sides by the Cellophane web W, supported in guides 85a, the latter being subsequently lapped on the fourth side by folding arms 84, 85, and its er'ids tucked and creased by devices shown in the patent cited. In the ce1- lophaning turret 83 the cigar is turned through 2'10 degrees and the wrapped pierced cigar is finally deposited on a table by a 90 degree transfer similar to transfer 19 in the same position as when taken from the conveyor 12, with the wrapping seam at the bottom.

When refinishing an imperfect pierced cigar by hand, the knurler 86 for this purpose provided is equipped with a concentric pointed pin 81, Fig. 9, which enters the hole in the cigar after the same has been inserted into the knurler and is Ipushed with the latter against a spring 88 thus keeping the hole open during the refinishing operation. This pin closing vof the opening in a previously pierced cigar during a hand knurling operation is sometimes required after machine knurling. The pin 81 is fastened in a concentric bore of rotary knurler shaft 89 by a set screw 90, while the knurler 88 is held in a sleeve 9| slidably mounted on shaft 89. rA pin 92 in shaft 89 engaging with a longitudinal slot in sleeve 9| transmits the rotary motion of shaft 89 to the said sleeve and limits its axial motion. The spring 88, which rests against a collar 93 fast on shaft 89 and against a ange 9|a of sleeve 9i, normally holds the' knurler 88 in its outermost position shown in the drawing. As the cigar, upon its insertion into the knurler, is pressed inward, the sleeve 9| compresses the spring 88 and allows the pin 81 to enter the hole in the then properly centered cigar.

The nishing knurler shown in Fig. 9, constituting a complete piercing unit with the exception of the heating block 31, may also be used for hand piercing cigars delivered by a cigar machine not equipped with an automatic piercer.

Referring now to the operation of the improved piercing mechanism, the cigar as shown in Fig. l, is supported in a stationary position I on a transfer or traveling supporting element having gripper fingers 4| and 42. The cigar is first accurately located through movement against the head end of the cigar by the locating device 34. This device locates the cigars two ways, longitudinally by pushing a cigar up against a stop 58, preferably somewhat yieldingly mounted, and transversely. If the cigar head is a little off center of the Vpiercing point, it is quite important that it be brought to central position before the piercing operation starts, otherwise the hole will be off center, marring the appearance of the cigar and moreover if the cigar is later pierced or knurled in the hand knurler having a plug to keep the hole open, the end of the cigar may be crushed or injured. This arrangement therefore is a substantial irnprovement over the construction in which a locating cup travels ingunison with the piercing point or in which a pointk is rigidlysecured infa knurler.. f l

The locating block 34 has another function of importance, in that it actsas' a stripper to hold the position of a cigar and particularly to hold down the delicate wrapper at the head end of the cigar as the piercing point is withdrawn. Otherwise, thereis` a tendencyfor' the piercing point to pull away the adjacent portion of the wrapper as it is withdrawn. Since the locating block in some instances and under certain'conditions some times has a tendency'to suck away the Wrapper from the bunch as it in turn withdraws, the block 34 is recessed as shown at 34a by any `suitable holes or slots reducing the area contacting the cigar head.

The piercing point is heated by a cartridge 38 in a heating element 31 through which a needle moves in its movement toward and awayfrom the cigar. The effect of heating the needle is to fix the tobacco surrounding the hole by drying it so that the khole is not filled in, due to the natural resilience of the cigar filler, and is especially important when the cigars are transferred directly from a cigar machine and are still in a moist resilient condition. As `shown in Fig. 3A, the needle is provided at 22a with a slightly recessed curved `shoulder which has the desirable effect of producing a rounded lip about the opening produced by the needle point, thus improving the appearance of the completed pierced cigar. 1

After automatic piercing of the cigar head, it is sometimes desirable to hand knurl the cigar head, as for instance when the machine knurling was not entirely perfect. If a conventional knurler is usfed, the hole is often filled in and the advantage of piercing lost, therefore as shown in Fig. 9, a convenient rotary knurler 86 is provided having incorporated therein a relatively movable point 81 to maintain the pierced opening during knurling. While this could be done by a point rigidly secured in a position projecting from the inner surface of the knurler, for the reasons already stated, it is much preferable to so construct the knurler that the cigar head b e first located by the knurler and then pierced by relative movement of the' knurler and the piercer as is done by movement of the knurler carrying sleeve 9| on the piercer point carrying shank 89 against the resistance of thespring 88. It is of course obvious that the knurler and piercer shown in Fig. 9 can lbe used for initial hand piercing if desired, and that this knurler is rotated by any suitable means, as bymeans similar to that shown in Fig. 1 for rotating the knurler I2, except that the parts for reciprocating the knurler shank will be omitted, while retaining the parts for rotating this shank.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a cigar support, of means engaging the body of a cigar and holding it on said support, a locating device arranged to engage one end of a cigar on said support, a piercer 4arranged centrally of said device, and means for producing a relative movement of said cigar .and piercer to pierce the sama-and a heating element, a support for said element, a piercer support positioned in engagement with and supported by said heating element and receiving heat from said heating element. y

2. The combination with a cigar support, of means engaging the body of a cigarand holding engage one end of a cigar on said'support, 'a

piercer arrangedcentrallyof said device, means for producing a relative movement of said cigar and'piercer to pierce thesame, and a heating element arranged toheat the piercer, a support for `said heating element, a piercer support positioned in engagement with and supported by said heating element and receiving heat from said heating'element, said heating element surrounding'aportion of said piercer when the same is in non-piercing position relative to the cigar.

3. The combination with a cigar support, of means for positioning cigars on said support, a piercer arranged for movementV into andv out of piercing position relative to al cigar on said support, aheater arranged to heat the piercer, a support for said heater, a piercer support positioned in engagement with and supported by said heater and. receiving heat therefrom, and means for moving said piercerY longitudinally relative to said heater to pierce cigars positioned on said support.

4'. The combinationwith' a cigar support, of means for feeding cigars-to. said support, a cigar knurler arranged to engage the head of a cigar positioned on said support, a, piercer arranged centrally of said-knurler for movement relative thereto, and means for producing relative movement of said knurler, cigar and piercer for engaging the knurler against the cigar to locate the cigar head, and then pierce the' same.

5. The combination with a cigar piercing point, of a cupped locating member coaxial with said piercer for centralizing a cigar being pierced relative to the piercer, and means `for heating said point while leaving said locating member relatively cool.

6'. In a cigar machine, the combination with means yieldably supporting a cigar, of a locating block having an operating face shaped to the shape of the cigar end, and means holding said block against rotation giving the block to and fro motion endwise of the cigar into and out of engagement with the shaped face against said cigar end, said shaped face being recessed to prevent sticking of the wrapper of the cigar at said end rto the face.

7. The combination with a cigar piercing point, of a rotatable cigar head knurler having a central opening arranged to admit said point, and means mounting said knurler for movement relative to the point whereby the cigar head may rst be engaged by the knurler and thereafter acted upon by the piercing point.

8. The combination with the re-rolling mechanism of a cigar machine, of a knurler, means for transporting the cigar from said mechanism to a position aligned with said knurler, and means for producing relative axial movement of the knurler and the cigar in said transporting means to cause the knurler to engage and knurl one end ofthe cigar andV locate the cigar in said transporting means, and a device-for-piercing the knurled end` of` theY cigar, including means for v effecting" relative movement between said` cigar and device to` pierceL said cigar while said knurler engages said cigar end.

9. The combination withV a rotary' knurler, of a piercer concentric; with'said'knurler and movable axially: relativeA thereto.

10. The combinationwith a knurler, cfa-piercer concentric with said knurler, meansY for movingfsaid knurler to locate the head end of a cigar, and mechanism for moving said piercer relatively to said knurler` to pierce the head end of the cigar after it has been located;

11. The combination WithfA a knurler, of a piercer concentric with said knurler, means for rotating said knurler andV piercer, and mechanism for moving said piercer axially relative to said knurler.

12. The combination with a knurler, of a piercer, mechanism for rotating said knurler and said piercer, and means movable relative to the knurler and piercer for automatically transferring a cigar from the knurler to the piercer after the completion of the knurling operation for the perormance oi the piercing operation.

13. In an automatic cigar piercing machine, the combination with a source of supply of cigars, of a cigar support, means for directing cigars fromfsaid source to said support, means for holding a cigar on said support, a locating device arrangedto engage one end offsaid cigar resiliently w-hile held ony said support and move said cigar both transversely ,and axially to locate it thereon for piercing, a piercer arranged centrally of said device for movement relative thereto, and means for producing a relative axial movement of said device, cigar and piercer to locate the cigar end and pierce the same.

14., In an automatic` cigar piercing mechanism for piercing the shaped head ends of cigars, the combination with a traveling cigar support, said support including a set of relatively yieldable grippers engaging thel cigar between its ends, of a cigar piercer arranged to pierce ther shaped head end of a cigar axially while said cigar is held in said grippers, means for engaging the shaped head end of said cigar to move it transversely and axially to locate it on said support, means for moving said support to cause it to position cigars held therein in the range of action of said piercer, means operative automatically when said support has positioned said cigar within therange oi operation of said piercer for producing a relative movement of the piercer and the support to pierce the cigar, a source of supply of cigars, and devices coacting with said source of supply to deliver cigars one by one to said traveling support.

15. In an automatic cigar piercing mechanism for piercing the shaped head ends of cigars, the combination with a cigar support, said support including a set of relatively yieldable grippers engaging the cigar between its ends, of a cigar piercer arranged to pierce the shaped end of a cigar axially while said cigar is held between said grippers, a locating device concentric with said piercer to embrace said head end and move the head end transversely and axially to locate said cigar transversely as well as axially in said grippers and thus center the cigar with respect to the piercer, means for moving said support to cause said grippers to position cigars held therein in the range of action of said piercer, means operative automatically when said grippers have positioned said cigar Within the range of operation of said piercer for producing a relative movement of the piercer and the support to pierce the cigar, a source ofvsupply of cigars, and devices coacting with said source of supply to deliver cigars one by one to said traveling.support.

16. The combination with a support for a cigar, of a knurler, mechanism for feeding a succession of cigars to said support, means for relatively moving said support and knurler to cause the latter to engage and knurl one end of a cigar, a piercer, means for moving said support in timed relation to said feeding mechanism to convey said cigar from said knurler into the range of action of said piercer and means for causing relative movement between said support and piercer for piercing the knurled end of the cigar after it is disengaged by said knurler.

17. In an automatic cigar piercing mechanism for piercing the shaped head ends of cigars, the combination with a cigar support, vof a` cigar piercer arranged to pierce said head end of a cigar in an axial direction, mechanism for engaging the head end of a cigar while on said support and moving said cigar both transversely and axially forlocating it in centralized position with respect to said piercer, means for feeding a cigar to said support to position it thereon in the range of action of said piercer, means operative automatically when said cigar has been posimoving said support to position said cigar in'the e range of action of said piercer, means to engage and move a cigar transversely and axially to locate the head end of said cigar on said support centrally with respect to said piercer, means operative automatically when said support has p'ositioned said cigar within the range of operation of said piercer for producing a relative movement of the piercer and the support to pierce the cigar, a source of supply of cigars and devices coacting with said source of supply to deliver cigars one by one to said traveling support.

19. In a machine of the character described, means for holding a cigar for perforation, mechanism for perforating one end of the cigar while it is held by said holding means including a head having a socket to embrace the end of the cigar, a needle reciprocable co-axially through said socket into and out of the cigar end toperforate the latter, means for successively feeding cigars into proper relation to said head and needle, and means for successively ejecting the cigars after perforation.

20. The combination with opposed relatively yieldable grippers arranged to receive a cigar havingy a shaped head end delivered between them, of actuating means for closing said grippers to grip the cigar, and after a period of dwell move said grippers bodily to transfer the cigar, a member arranged to embrace said head end rof a cigar and move it transversely and axially to locate said cigar 4transversely after gripping .and prior to transferring thereof, a piercer located to engage the shaped end of a located cigar during the dwell of said actuating means, and means for moving said piercer into and out of said cigar to pierce the same.

21. In a cigar piercing machine, means for holding a cigar for perforation, means for feeding a succession of cigars to said holder, means for engaging each cigar as it is fed and movingk it transversely and axially in said holder for klocating each cigar-While positioned in said holder, and mechanism vfor perforating one end of a cigar while it is held by said holding means, said mechanism comprising a piercing member, and said member having an elongated point for entering the cigar, and a rounded shoulder at the base of the point constructed and arranged to engage the lip of the opening made by the point to round said lip, and means for moving said member relative to said end of said cigar to pierce the same.

22. The combination with a traveling cigar support, of a locating element varranged to embrace the head end of a cigar for moving said cigar to vlocate it transversely and axially on said support, means for movingsaid support to locate a cigar for cooperation with said element, a piercer arranged centrally of said element, and means operative automatically when said support has positioned said cigar Within the range of operation of said piercer for moving the element and piercer relative to the cigar to pierce the end.

SIGURD CLAUSEN. 

